Aerophobia
by FemaleChauvinist
Summary: After being involved in a place crash on the way back from her honeymoon, Nessie is afraid of flying to the point of having nightmares. Can Edward find a way to help her sleep again?
1. Sky Dive

**Disclaimer:** While the attempt has been made to be medically accurate, some artistic license has been taken, and statements made by Carlisle are not to be regarded as authoritative.

Recognizable characters and plotlines are the property of Stephenie Meyer; all original characters and story © 2016 FemaleChauvinist.

 _Do not post without permission. Do not copy/print without including the above disclaimer in its entirety._

 **A/N: I got the idea for this story from two events in** _ **Eclipse;**_ **Bella's written conversation with Edward about what he'd do if her "bad luck" crashed the plane, and Jacob's injuries in the fight (which he didn't get in my version, so, no, I'm not making him go through that twice!). Barbie**

 **P.S. By the way, I really had no idea how to go about crashing the plane… B(FC)**

 **Chapter One: Skydive**

 _January 2014_

 _Nessie & Jacob returning from honeymoon_

 **Nessie**

Jake wanted to support me himself. He had allowed Daddy to open a bank account in my name, but only on condition that we use it only in emergency. But despite his explaining to me that I would have to be careful what I spent, couldn't buy anything I wanted whenever I wanted it like I was used to doing, we were flying first class.

"Economy wasn't designed for seven-foot werewolves, Ness," he had growled at me when I teasingly pointed out the inconsistency. (He wasn't really seven feet tall…but six nine was close enough.) "We can cut back on our food budget if we need to save money."

I had laughed, because if we cut back anywhere, it wasn't likely to be on food. Jake ate his share, my share, and more when he could get it.

We had spent two weeks in a little cottage on the beach, and now we were flying home.

Home. Of course I would follow Jake anywhere and be happy, and it _would_ be nice to live somewhere where the sun was out more often than not. But I had never been away from my family; I wondered if I was really ready to try.

Of course, I was careful not to think like that when I was touching Jacob's face. After all, I _would_ be happy as long as I was with him.

I turned to smile at him, and found him listening with his head tilted, the expression on his face reminding me of Papa's when he was focusing on someone's heartbeat and breathing. "Jake?" I questioned.

He turned toward me. "Do the engines sound funny to you, Ness?"

I shrugged. "Not really." But his question made me uneasy. Jake's hearing might not be as good as Papa's — or even as his own in wolf form — but it was better than a human's, and he _did_ know engines.

"Well…guess it's just my imagination. But —" He broke off, as even I heard the sudden silence of one of the engines. Even the _humans_ must have heard that.

Jake swore softly under his breath, and I looked at him with wide eyes. "Jacob…?"

He forced a smile. "Don't worry, Ness; you're safe with me. Guard dog, remember?" He wrapped his arm around me, and I buried my face in his shoulder as the stewardess came on the intercom asking everyone to return to their seats and fasten their seatbelts. She didn't refer to the problem, but I could hear the suppressed fear in her voice.

If I listened hard, I could hear the pilots' voices in the cockpit. They were trying unsuccessfully to restart the engine; the others were overheating…and from the look on Jake's face, they didn't sound too healthy, either. One of the pilots was radioing the nearest airport requesting an emergency landing.

I had to stifle a scream when the second engine sputtered to silence.

The captain's voice came over the intercom then, surprisingly calm despite the fear I heard. He assured us that though we had lost power in two engines, the two remaining were sufficient to get us to an airport.

"Nessie?" Jake's voice was low and urgent. "Renesmée, listen to me."

I lifted my head from his chest; he almost never used my full name. "What?" I whispered.

"Those two engines aren't gonna make it as far as an airport."

I pressed my hand to his face, too scared to speak. _Jake, why are they quitting?_

"I don't know…it doesn't matter. Knowing why won't help us. Nessie, you're gonna hafta trust me."

I looked up at him with wide eyes, and then bit all the way through my lip as the two remaining engines conked out within seconds of each other. My mouth filled with blood.

"Don't, Ness!" Jacob said sharply, a hand on my lip as if to pull it away from my teeth.

 _I won't — I'm not thirsty._

The captain's voice as he spoke again was tense, strained. We had lost power in all four engines, he said, but we had enough altitude and momentum to land on the nearby interstate highway. He urged us to remain calm and to brace for impact.

"Nessie," Jacob said, low and quick, "as soon as we get low enough I'm kicking the wall out. Hang onto me and we'll jump."

 _But the other passengers, Jake! Won't the hole affect them?_

"No one's gonna survive this, Ness," Jacob said grimly.

 _But_ _ **we**_ _could…couldn't we?_ I don't know why going down with the plane seemed so much safer than jumping out of it; I wasn't even afraid of heights.

I felt Jacob shake his head under my hand. "If the plane bursts into flames on impact, even your parents wouldn't be able to walk away."

 _But it won't — he said we could land on the highway._

"No way. We're losing altitude too fast — and he knows it. He just wants to keep everyone calm; not have a panic."

I swallowed hard. _All right, Jake. But wouldn't it be better if_ _ **I**_ _kicked out the wall?_

He growled at me. "On your _life_ , Ness!"

He reached to unbuckle my seatbelt, then snapped his own open and sat tense, watching the ground through the window. "Be ready," he hissed at me, standing up. In one instant, he drove his knee through the window, then grabbed the edge of the opening and ripped out a section of wall. I could smell his blood where the glass had cut him, but the cuts were healing even as he reached down and pulled me into his arms. "Hang on, Ness!"

 _Jake…will we really be safe?_

"Nothing will hurt you, Ness…I promise." And before the humans even had time to realize what was happening, he jumped through the opening.

 **Next chapter coming next week!**

 _I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!_

 _Please note that I have internet access only once a week, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. If you have questions regarding my Twilight alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie_


	2. Field Surgery

**Chapter Two: Field Surgery**

I closed my eyes and pressed my face into Jacob's shoulder as we fell through the air. I _wasn't_ scared of heights…but this was five, ten times as high as Daddy had ever let me jump on my own. I guess Jake was afraid of being too late, or maybe he didn't want to risk having the plane come down on top of us.

We landed in a slight clearing in the woods; only a few small branches broke off as we fell through. Jake hit the ground first, with a cry of pain that was half a howl.

His body cushioned my landing, and I rolled off him quickly. "Jacob?" My voice rose frantically as I cried his name.

"Ness," he gasped. "You all right?"

"Yes — but you're hurt, Jacob!" Tears stung my eyes.

"Just my legs…broken…" His voice trailed off, and I gave a short scream, terrified until I realized that he was still breathing; I could still hear his heartbeat. But his legs were bent wrong, and I swallowed another scream as I realized the white I saw on one of them was the bone poking through.

Tears were streaming down my face as I dug in both pockets for my cell phone. I had Papa's number programmed into it, but still I had to try three times before my trembling fingers would hit the right buttons to dial.

"Hello, Nessie; is something wrong?"

"Papa," I choked; even I could hardly understand the word. I wished desperately that I could share thoughts over the phone, because I couldn't talk. All I could do was sob hysterically.

"Nessie. Nessie, honey, calm down."

I shook my head frantically, as if he could see me, nearly choking myself on my own sobs.

"Nessie. Just breathe, sweetheart. In…and out. In…and out."

He waited until I was a little calmer; I was still crying, but I wasn't in hysterics. "Can you tell me what's wrong, Nessie? Is Jacob —?"

"He's hurt, Papa! The plane crashed — we had to jump out — Jake broke his legs — he's unconscious! Papa, I'm scared!"

"Shh, Nessie," Papa soothed. "How's his heartbeat; steady?"

"I-I _think_ so."

"He'll be fine; werewolves can recover from any injury that doesn't kill them instantly. Can you tell me where you are, honey?"

"I don't know," I whimpered. Then I looked up and saw a smudge of black smoke over the trees. "North of where the plane went down," I realized. "Aunt Alice can 'see' where that is, can't she, now that we're not on it?" My voice was bordering on hysteria again.

"Yes," he assured me. "Just try to stay calm, Nessie, and keep him warm. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Keep him warm. I didn't have a blanket; all I could do was curl up against him, one hand resting on his cheek. I lay my head on his chest, listening to the reassuring thud of his heart.

I realized now that when I asked if we'd be all right, he hadn't said yes. He said nothing would hurt _me_ — as if losing him wouldn't hurt me far more than any physical pain! I was slightly less vulnerable than he was…but still he would try to take any danger on himself, keep it off me.

"Please, Jake," I whispered. "Just wake up."

I wasn't sure how much time had passed when I heard Jacob moan. I lifted my head quickly. "Jake?"

"Ness…" he groaned.

"How do you feel?" I asked softly.

"Thirsty…"

I bit my lip, fighting the urge to break into hysterical laughter. _I don't have any water…sorry_.

"All…right."

I gently brushed my hand over his forehead. "Just lie still, Jake. I called Papa; he's on his way."

Jacob's eyes closed again, but I was fairly certain he was still conscious. There was a tense set to his pale lips that made me think he was fighting back howls of pain. I gently ran my fingers through his hair, knowing there was nothing else I could do for him.

 **oOo**

"Renesmée?"

I jumped to my feet as Daddy came running through the trees; the next instant I was crushed against his chest, clinging to him as I sobbed hysterically.

"Shh, baby," he murmured, stroking my hair. "Are you all right?"

 _Yes…but Jake's hurt, Daddy!_

"Carlisle's right behind me; Jacob will be fine."

 _I-I know_.

Daddy pulled out a handkerchief and gently wiped my face, then held it to my nose. "Blow, Nessie," he ordered gently.

I obeyed, then cuddled my head against his shoulder, watching with his arm around my waist as Papa appeared through the trees and went straight to Jacob's side. "Jacob?"

"Hey, Doc," Jake said weakly.

Papa frowned. "Don't try to talk; let Edward relay. Does anything hurt besides your legs?"

Daddy glanced quickly at me before answering. "His side is bruised where Nessie landed on him; he might have a couple cracked ribs."

I whimpered softly, hating the thought that _I_ had hurt him. And I had been lying on his chest…

"But on the other side," Daddy reminded me softly as Papa pulled Jacob's shirt back and felt along his side.

"Mm. Nothing's displaced. They seem to be healing well; I don't think I'll even bother wrapping them. Now let's see about those legs."

He cut Jacob's pants away and gently felt his legs, shaking his head as he finished his examination. "It's just what I was afraid of; the bones have already begun to knit together. I'll have to rebreak them in order to set them properly…and, Jacob, the sooner I do it the better."

"Fine…just put me out first."

"Of course. Edward, I'll need your help. Nessie, you'd better go —"

I growled, dropping to my knees by Jacob's side. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Ness," Jacob began; I could hear the alpha command in his tone and clutched frantically at his hand.

"Jake, don't," Daddy said quickly. "She'll be a wreck if she has to leave you, and Carlisle and I can't be in two places at once."

"Don't watch," Jacob ordered instead.

I had no problem with that; hearing was bad enough. Hearing the snap as Papa rebroke Jacob's bones with his bare hands. And then there was a strange rasping, grating noise — what _was_ that? I would have turned and looked in spite of myself, but Jacob's alpha command held me. "What are you _doing_?" I whimpered.

"The right leg was a compound fracture, Nessie," Papa explained quietly. "The ends of the bone weren't in contact with each other at all; I have to file away the new bone growth so they'll fit together."

I swallowed hard, feeling almost as if I was going to be sick.

"Put your head down, Nessie," Daddy ordered quietly.

I groaned and obeyed.

Moments later, Daddy's arm was around me. "It's over, sweetheart; Carlisle just has to finish splinting the leg."

I still shuddered a little as I leaned against him. _He didn't feel anything?_

"No," Daddy assured me.

"Nessie, you're as white as a ghost!" Papa exclaimed, coming quickly toward me when he had finished with Jacob's splints. "I've half a mind to check _you_ out."

"I'm fine," I whispered.

Papa insisted on giving me a quick check despite my words, feeling my pulse and shining his penlight into my eyes. "I ought to give you a sedative," he murmured, "but there's two miles to walk. Are you up to it, Nessie?"

I nodded, getting shakily to my feet.

"All right. Edward, help me get Jake on the stretcher."

 **Next chapter coming next week!**

 _I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!_

 _Please note that I have internet access only once a week, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. If you have questions regarding my Twilight alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie_


	3. Nightmare

**Chapter Three: Nightmare**

Daddy and Papa strapped Jake to a stretcher that had been lengthened somehow to fit him. "Nessie, could you grab my bag?" Papa asked as he and Daddy picked up the ends of the stretcher. I obeyed and followed them through the woods.

When we emerged beside a quiet road, I blinked in surprise. I had expected to see Papa's Mercedes waiting for us, or maybe Daddy's silver car. Not this… "You stole an _ambulance_?" I gasped.

Daddy gave me a crooked half smile. "Borrowed, Nessie." He reached with one hand to open the doors to the back, and he and Papa loaded Jake inside. Then Daddy went around to the driver's seat while Papa reached down a hand to help me in. "I assume you don't want to ride up front with your father."

I shook my head and sank onto the bench along one side as Papa pulled the doors shut. He paused to check Jake's eyes, then sat beside me and wrapped an arm around me.

"How did you get an _ambulance_?" I demanded. "I mean, won't someone notice it's missing?"

"Alice says not; it's actually unused right now because some of the life support equipment needs to be replaced. We flew in to the nearest town and picked this up there."

I shuddered slightly at the word _flew_ , and Papa pulled me into his lap. He and Daddy both treated me like a little girl…but at the moment, I felt like one. I sighed and leaned my head against Papa's shoulder. He said nothing, but simply sat stroking my hair.

Then Jacob groaned, and I was off Papa's lap and at his side in a moment. "Jake?" I breathed.

"Ness…"

I caught at his hand, and he squeezed mine weakly.

Papa was on his other side, checking him over. "How's the pain, Jake?"

"Pretty…bad…"

"All right; I'm going to give you a shot of morphine. I'm guessing at the dose, what with your size and body temperature, so let me know if it wears off or if it doesn't seem to be enough."

I looked at Jake, knowing he wouldn't…not in front of me. _Daddy, please tell Papa if Jake needs more morphine!_ Daddy would do it, now; there had been a time I almost thought he would have enjoyed seeing Jake in pain, but all that had changed in the months before my wedding.

Jacob licked his lips. "Got any water, Doc?"

"Sure." Papa came forward with a cup and gently lifted Jacob's head. "Drink slowly…not too much."

"Thanks." Jacob let his eyes drift shut again, and I rested my hand on his forehead.

I don't know how fast Daddy was driving; probably the ambulance couldn't go as fast as his car. But it was starting to get dark when he pulled up in front of the big house.

Momma was standing on the front porch watching for us, and I jumped down and ran into her arms, burying my face in her shoulder as Daddy and Papa carried Jacob inside to get him settled in the guest room. I barely noticed when Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper left to return the ambulance.

"Nessie?"

I lifted my head and saw Mama Esme standing in the doorway, and wondered how long I had been standing here with Momma.

Mama Esme came forward and gently touched my shoulder. "I have some food for Jacob — if you want to take it up to him?"

I pulled away from Momma instantly, hurrying into the house after Mama Esme. "Wash your face first," she told me gently, handing me a damp washcloth. I did as she asked, knowing I really must look a mess. Then I picked up the tray she had fixed and ran tiptoe up the stairs.

Jake was alone in the guest room, half sitting against the headboard. He smiled slightly when he saw me. "Hey, Ness."

"Hey," I replied softly. I set the tray on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching to press my hand to his face.

He snorted at the wordless tone of my thoughts. "Aw, don't go all melodramatic, Ness; I wasn't hurt _that_ bad. Did you bring that food up so I could starve to death smelling it, or were you planning on feeding me anytime soon?"

I laughed a bit shakily. _Feed you?_ I questioned, my thought carrying an image with it.

"Hey, I'm beat." His voice was still teasing…but he _did_ sound tired, and I found myself biting my lip as I reached for the tray of food.

I balanced it on my lap, gazing into Jake's eyes as I fed him each bite. I could almost forget _why_ I was doing this, it felt so romantic.

And then Jake's eyes drifted shut, his head falling back against the headboard. I stared at the bites still left, my stomach twisting with new fear. Jake never left food on his plate; he never left food on the plate of anyone at the same table with him.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Relax, Nessie," Daddy said quietly. "It's just the morphine kicking in; as hazy as his thoughts were getting, I'm surprised he lasted that long." He caught the tray as I turned with a sigh to bury my face in his arm.

Daddy gently ran a hand over my hair. "Your mother has a hot bath ready for you, Nessie."

That sounded wonderful, but I hesitated. _I don't want to leave him alone, Daddy._

"I'll stay with him. You go on now."

 _Whose bathroom?_

"Mama Esme's."

My eyes widened slightly; it was the best bathroom in the house.

Daddy smiled slightly and kissed my forehead as I stood. "I love you, Renesmée."

 _Love you, too, Daddy._

Momma stayed in the bathroom with me, washing my hair and singing softly. I felt myself growing drowsy from the hot water.

Finally I got out and sat wrapped in a towel as Momma gently dried my hair. She hugged me as I stood in my nightgown. "Good night, Nessie."

"Good night, Momma."

I slipped barefoot up the stairs and into Jake's room. Papa stood beside the bed, turning as I entered. "Hi, Nessie," he said softly. "Come to say good night? Edward says he'll be able to hear your thoughts even with the morphine."

I stopped in confusion. "Oh, but — Papa, please!"

He frowned. "What is it, Nessie?"

I ran forward to press my hand to his face, showing him an image of me in bed with Jake. It honestly hadn't even occurred to me that they might make me sleep in my own room…well, I just wouldn't! I'd sleep on the floor in here if I had to.

Papa seemed to consider a moment. "All right," he said quietly. "You're small enough…and his ribs are fine now. Just try not to bump his legs, all right?"

 _All right, Papa. Thank you._ I quickly slipped in beside Jake, and Papa bent to pull the covers over me and kiss my cheek.

"Good night, Nessie," he said softly.

"Good night."

He turned the light out as he left the room, and I rolled over, resting my hand on Jacob's face as I curled against his chest with my head on his shoulder.

 **oOo**

I stood clinging to Jake in the open doorway of a dead, doomed airplane. "You have to leave me, Ness!" he insisted. "I love you!" Wrenching free of my clinging hands, he shoved me through the door.

I screamed as I fell. It wasn't the fall that scared me — I knew I would be all right. It was the fact that Jacob was still on that plane. " _Jacob_!"

I hung suspended in the air, watching helplessly as the plane spiraled toward the ground trailing black smoke. I fancied I could still see Jake sometimes, his face as stoic as all the old Indian chiefs in the face of death. I wished he _was_ scared; maybe then he would have jumped.

Then I was on the ground, running toward the flaming wreck that had been an airplane. I tossed twisted metal aside recklessly, burning my hands but not caring, not if I could get to Jake before he burned to ashes. "Jacob!" I half sobbed, half screamed.

I was ready to throw myself into the plane after him when I felt a hand on my shoulder — and heard _his_ voice. "Nessie, wake up. It's just a dream; I'm right here."

My eyes flew open. I was lying in bed beside Jake, his anxious face bending over me. "Oh — Jacob!" I gasped, throwing myself against him. My cheeks were wet; I had been crying in my sleep.

"I'm fine, Ness," he repeated, wrapping an arm around me.

I buried my face against his warm chest and bit until I could taste his blood. "I'm never flying again as long as I live!" I sobbed.

 **Next chapter coming next week!**

 _I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!_

 _Please note that I have internet access only once a week, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. If you have questions regarding my Twilight alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie_


	4. Sleepless

**Chapter Four: Sleepless**

 **Jacob**

I poured a second cup of coffee, drinking it strong and black. I didn't used to be much of a coffee drinker — take it or leave it — but the past few weeks I'd found it necessary.

And Nessie looked worse than I felt. She was leaning on her hand across the table from me, looking as if she could go to sleep any minute.

"Ness, you ought to have some coffee," I told her, pushing the pot in her direction.

She shook her head, the disgust evident on her face. I sighed, not having the heart to force her. Bella hadn't liked coffee even as a human; Nessie's dislike of it might be due to more than just the fact that it wasn't blood. I found myself wondering how much coffee I would have to drink to get enough caffeine into my bloodstream to do Nessie any good. Caffeinated blood. Now, there was a new one.

I rose reluctantly; I had to leave for my job at the garage, but I hated to leave Nessie alone like this. "Lie down and take a nap for a while," I told her softly.

She shook her head mutely, and I didn't even need her hand on my face to know why. She was afraid to go to sleep without me there to wake her up.

A week after the accident, Doc had driven Nessie and me to our new home. Nessie had been adamant about not flying, and it really didn't matter to me one way or the other. But that had been three weeks ago now, and I could see that the problem was more serious than driving or taking trains everywhere.

When my lunch hour came, I headed into the little stand of trees behind the garage, sitting on a large rock. But for once I didn't immediately open my lunchbox, instead pulling my phone out of my pocket and quickly selecting one of the numbers.

"Jacob?"

"Yeah…hi, Edward." It still felt strange to be on good terms with him. "Look, I'm calling about Nessie…"

"Is she all right?" The worry was sharp in his voice.

"She's been better," I admitted. "It's the plane crash; she hasn't gotten over it."

"I thought you didn't care whether she was afraid of flying?"

"I don't," I said instantly. "If she decided she never wanted to ride in any kind of vehicle, I don't care; we could just run everywhere."

"Then what's the problem?"

I sighed. "She still has nightmares, Edward. Every night. Don't tell me you couldn't hear when we were there…"

"I try not to listen at night," he said frankly. "Not much chance for privacy around our house, but Alice and I do try."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't as bad then, anyway; I think Jasper was helping. Every night I have to wake her up; she cries in my arms for an hour sometimes. Sometimes it's more than once a night. The lack of sleep is starting to show." Of course, I was feeling the lack of sleep myself, but I wouldn't mention that. Didn't want him thinking I cared more about myself when really all I cared about was Nessie. "I was hoping you'd have some suggestions."

"When you fall off a horse, they say you're supposed to get right back on," Edward said slowly. "Maybe she needs to fly again."

"I'm willing to try almost anything. If things don't improve soon, I'm gonna hafta call Doc and have him prescribe a sleep aid or an antidepressant or something."

"It's that bad?"

"Yeah. It's that bad."

"All right. I'll talk to Alice about when a cloudy day will be and make arrangements to come down. In the meantime, Jake, don't try cold medicine or over-the-counter sleep aids. People still dream on those — crazier stuff than normal, sometimes — and you don't want to make it any harder to wake her."

I sighed. "Right. Thanks, Edward."

I glared up at the cloudless sky and hoped the weather would change soon.

 **Next chapter coming next week!**

 _I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!_

 _Please note that I have internet access only once a week, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. If you have questions regarding my Twilight alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie_


	5. Back in the Air

**Chapter Five: Back in the Air**

 **Edward**

I growled at Alice.

"Three days," she repeated. "And even then you'll have to time it carefully…clouds and sun all day." She glared at me. "Don't blame _me_ , Edward Cullen. If you've figured out a way to change the weather, I'm happy to hear it."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Sorry. I know it's the best you can do. Can you give me an hour-by-hour for that partly cloudy day?"

She wrinkled her nose, concentrating. "Too soon to tell for sure…I think you get a block of cloud cover at the airport between ten and twelve. Just hire the plane for the whole day; then it won't matter."

"Right. Let me know if things change and we get anything sooner." Three days. Well, she had lasted three weeks already…

Which only made me more anxious to get to her as soon as possible. If it had been much longer than Alice's predicted three days, I would have changed my plans and done this at night; according to Jacob Nessie wasn't getting that much sleep anyway.

I didn't worry much about the cloud cover on the drive down. My windows were tinted, though not as darkly as Carlisle's; with his work as a doctor it was necessary for him to be able to go out even on sunny days.

I pulled over in front of Nessie's house and waited for a cloud to drift in front of the sun before getting out and hurrying up the walk to ring the doorbell.

"Daddy!" Nessie exclaimed in surprise.

But she couldn't be as stunned as I was. Jacob had said it was bad, but I hadn't expected _this_. Hadn't expected the dark circles under her eyes or the fragile edge to her thoughts. In an instant, I had her pressed to my chest; my little girl.

Sometimes I wondered if it had really been wise to let her marry so young. Oh, physically she was mature; mentally she had always been far beyond any human. But emotionally…

For the most part, her emotional maturity had kept track with her apparent physical age. But once in a while I had caught something that led me to believe there was some corner of Nessie's being that reflected her true age. Eight years old, now; still very much in need of a father's protection. Maybe I should have refused to let her marry until she was eighteen; at the very least insisted she and Jacob stay close by for a few years.

Or was that only my own selfishness? All humans had moments when their thoughts seemed childlike or even childish; was I just more sensitive to it with Nessie because I was aware of how young she really was? Was I truly thinking of _her_ needs, or only my own reluctance to give up my little girl?

Either way…she needed me now.

"Come for a ride with me, baby?" I murmured into her hair.

"Okay," she agreed softly, slipping her hand into mine as we walked out to the car. She wasn't even all that curious about my unannounced visit on a partly-sunny day; she _was_ tired.

I kept half an eye on the speedometer as I pulled away from the house. It was an hour to the airport at the speed limit; I didn't really think I'd need _that_ long, but I did want to leave myself enough time to talk things over with Nessie before we got there.

"You look like the walking dead, Nessie," I said gently as I pulled onto the on-ramp of the highway. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Just-just a little tired, Daddy." She spoke aloud, making a pitiful effort to block her thoughts.

"Why; haven't you been sleeping well?"

"Oh…sure." But her voice faltered with the memory of her latest dream.

I reached out an arm to pull her against my side. "You don't have to lie to me, Renesmée," I said softly.

"Oh — Daddy!" she gasped, choking back a sob at the comfort of my embrace. One arm wasn't enough; pulling over, I cradled her against my chest, softly humming her lullaby as she cried.

I half hoped she would fall asleep, but after some time she pulled away. "I'm sorry, Daddy," she whispered.

"For what?" I asked bluntly, resuming my driving, but keeping my gaze mostly on Nessie. "Can you help your dreams?"

"I wish I could. Momma says she used to be able to control hers — a little — but I never _know_ it's a dream until Jake wakes me. I hate airplanes, Daddy!" She said it on a growl, her hands balling into fists.

"It was a freak accident, Nessie," I said quietly. "More people die every day in car crashes than plane crashes…but you aren't scared now."

She shrugged. _You're driving._ She hadn't meant to reply at all; the thought wasn't put clearly into words.

"So…you trust me behind the wheel of a car, at twice the legal limit, when I'm not watching the road. Does that mean you'd trust me in the cockpit of a plane, Nessie?"

She stared at me, her eyes wide as she registered both my words and the sign for the airport that we had just passed. _Oh, Daddy. No. No, don't make me._ Behind those conscious thoughts was a question; was I _really_ a pilot?

"Well, I'll admit my current license is a forgery," I told her, "but I _can_ fly. You should have seen my barnstorming in the 1920s. Of course, I've flown planes more modern than that."

I pulled into a space in the underground parking garage, and Nessie curled up on the seat, facing away from me, doing her best to make her mind a blank.

I put a hand on the curve of her shoulder. "Renesmée," I said gently. "Listen to me, sweetheart. What you're really afraid of is losing Jacob — and he isn't with us."

"I don't want to lose you, either, Daddy," she whispered. An echo of something Jacob had said flashed through her thoughts: _"If the plane bursts into flames, even your parents wouldn't be able to walk away."_

"I suppose that's true," I said slowly, "but only if there's no warning. If I have even a second's notice, Nessie, I can get us out of there." I wouldn't say it — the thought of Jacob losing her might be almost as unbearable to her as the thought of losing him — but if something happened that _I_ couldn't walk away from, _she_ certainly wasn't going to survive to lose me. If I had time to push her out, I'd have time to jump myself. "But that's beside the point, Nessie; we aren't going to crash." I got out of the car and walked around to open her door for her, lifting her out and setting her gently on her feet.

The man who met us to check my pilot's license and show us to the Cessna was young; maybe around twenty-five, with his dark hair gelled into sharp spikes.

"Russell Terrence," he introduced himself. He turned to Nessie with a leering grin. "But _you_ can call me Rusty, babe."

Nessie snarled, her lip curling back from her teeth, and I growled faintly as I wrapped an arm around her to pull her to my side.

"I'm not _your_ 'babe,' Mr Terrence," she said coldly.

"Oh…ah…right," he stammered, slightly shaken.

But only slightly; his thoughts as he completed the necessary preliminaries were still far from appropriate.

 _Daddy…what was he thinking?_ Nessie ventured as I gave her a hand into the plane.

I shook my head, climbing into the seat beside her. "I can't tell you, baby; if you let it slip to Jacob he'd have to come down and kill the poor boy."

Nessie managed a small smile. _That bad?_

I gave her a lopsided grin. "Let's just say only Jacob has the right to think about you like that…and even he usually refrains in my presence."

Yet as much as I had wanted to tear the boy's throat out for thinking of my little girl like that, I was glad for the encounter; it kept Nessie's mind occupied so that she barely noticed as I did a quick pre-flight check and began taxiing down the runway.

Sunlight streamed into the cockpit as I leveled off, reflecting off my hand as I reached to adjust a dial. Nessie stared at it, as if realizing for the first time how carefully I had had to time things to do this today. _Daddy…_

"Now, Nessie," I said, heading off the thought before it could form, "how would you like to fly the plane?"

"Oh, but, Daddy, I'd crash it!"

I snorted. "Planes don't crash that easily, Nessie, and you're forgetting my vampire reflexes. Any mistake you make, I can correct before we even see the effect."

 _O-kay._ Her thoughts were still doubtful, and for an instant I considered pulling her into my lap and letting her "fly" the way fathers sometimes let small children steer a tractor. But instead I began showing her the basics of piloting.

By the end of an hour, she was hooked, grinning widely as she flew the plane as well as I could. When I told her it was time to go back to the airport, her thoughts were disappointed. _Just a few more minutes, Daddy?_

"Sorry; I don't have much time. Any longer, and we'll be stuck up here until sundown — and we don't have fuel for that."

She sighed. "All right. Can I land it, Daddy?"

"Better not; I didn't forge an instructor's license." I took over the controls for a perfect landing.

"I only have fifteen minutes before I have to get under cover, Nessie," I warned, jumping out and holding up my arms for her. ***** I glanced at the sky; the cloud currently shielding the sun seemed hardly big enough to last for fifteen minutes. But I'd never known Alice to make a mistake with weather, and her predictions today had been correct within seconds.

"Have a good flight?" Russell Terrence asked, grinning; any fright we had given him seemed to have worn off.

"Yes," I said shortly.

He held a scrap of paper out to Nessie. "Here's my number, babe — in case you change your mind."

Nessie stared at it blankly, her thoughts a dazed whirl. Then she stepped forward and with calm deliberateness slapped him on the cheek. She stopped short of breaking any bones, but he was going to have a hand-shaped bruise to explain for at least a week.

I had seen the intent of her thoughts in plenty of time to stop her, but I only watched with a small smile; the boy had it coming.

 **oOo**

"I'm not afraid of flying," Nessie said slowly, twisting a strand of hair around her finger. "I…don't think I ever really was. After all, it could have been anything… He risked himself to save me, Daddy, and I wouldn't even have been hurt!"

"It takes a lot to kill a werewolf, Nessie."

"It takes even more to kill a half-vampire!" she insisted stubbornly.

I sighed. "We don't actually _know_ that, Renesmée." He had been willing to risk even more than she knew; while _she_ thought he had been risking his life, she didn't actually believe _he_ had realized it when he jumped. But I had heard his thoughts after the accident; knew that he had known full well he might not survive.

But there was one other point Nessie seemed to be overlooking; Jacob had jumped to save himself as much as her — though at the time he thought only of Nessie. Breaking her fall might have increased his risk a little, but not by that much.

But I didn't bother trying to correct her; I knew as well as she did that if it _had_ been a choice between protecting her and walking away uninjured, he would have saved her every time.

"Nessie," I said gently, "I understand how you feel, but…how would you feel if he _wasn't_ willing to protect you? Could you be sure of his love if he cared about his own life more than yours; if he wasn't willing to risk everything for you?"

 *** Illustration for this scene can be found on my DeviantArt account.**

 **Next chapter coming next week!**

 _I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!_

 _Please note that I have internet access only once a week, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. If you have questions regarding my Twilight alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie_


	6. On Eagles' Wings

**Chapter Six: On Eagles' Wings**

 **Jacob**

Nessie lay sleeping curled against me, one hand resting on my cheek. I had discovered within days of our marriage that if I fell asleep with her hand on my face, I could get into her dreams.

And it was one of the weirdest things I'd ever experienced. I saw everything through Nessie's eyes, heard her thoughts almost as if _I_ was thinking them — and yet still had my own thoughts. Sometimes I could even feel my own body, as well as Nessie's — though she didn't respond to anything I said to her. If she was dreaming about me, I would see myself; I wasn't sure which was stranger, that, or half feeling that I _was_ Nessie while my own dream had her walking toward me. My mind added things to the dream; while the main plot was Nessie's, only if she reacted to something could I be sure it had originated in her mind and not mine.

Of course, to Nessie they were just normal dreams; I wasn't even completely sure why she liked sleeping with her hand on my face.

Tonight she lay on her stomach on the back of a giant eagle. She rested her chin on her hands, her elbows buried in feathers, not seeming to care about holding on as the eagle soared high above the earth. And in that odd way of dreams, I somehow knew that the eagle was supposed to be _me_.

O- _kaay_. I'm a werewolf, Ness, not a were-eagle! But I had to admit that this was better than watching myself fall to my death night after night; pulling myself to wakefulness so I could wake Nessie and cradle her sobbing against my chest. I had yet to decide if I actually _liked_ sharing her dreams, but for the past three weeks, at least, it had been necessary.

The eagle must have spotted some prey on the ground; without warning it folded its wings and dove.

Nessie screamed, wrapping her arms as far around its neck as she could and clinging to handfuls of feathers.

But she wasn't afraid. She loved it; her scream was pure excitement. If she was scared at all, it was the delicious terror of riding a roller coaster.

The eagle's feet touched the ground, and suddenly it was _me_ standing there in front of Nessie.

I was never gonna get used to this; standing in Nessie's body looking at myself; hearing myself talk but being unable to control what "I" said. A lot of times I knew what it would be; Nessie had me down pretty well. But sometimes the dream-Jake answered the way Nessie _wanted_ him to. And hearing Nessie's thoughts, you'd think I'd've known what that was — but I was coming to believe Bella had been right when she told Edward that reading minds wasn't everything.

Well, one thing was sure; if Nessie ever gave the dream-Jake more than a peck on the cheek, I was outta there. Kissing another man was sick enough; the idea of kissing _myself_ was so twisted I couldn't stomach it.

Nessie reached almost shyly to touch his face. _Thank you for saving me, Jake._

It was the first time she'd acknowledged that I had.

"Hey, that's my job, Ness."

She laughed a bit shakily. _Just promise me, Jake…_ She faltered and was about to let her hand drop, but the dream-Jake captured it and held it to his face. "Promise you what, Ness?" he asked huskily.

Of course, _I_ already knew what she was gonna say. _Promise you won't…leave me._ She softened the word, but I'd'a known what she meant even if I _hadn't_ "been" her.

"'Course not, Ness! Who'd be your guard dog if I left?"

"Promise!" she insisted, blinking back tears.

"I promise," he breathed, turning his head to kiss her hand.

I growled mentally; angry with the dream-Jake for making promises I wouldn't be able to keep. Still…I wouldn't retract it unless Nessie asked me about it; it was something I wished I _could_ promise her; it would comfort her, without binding me…though I wondered sometimes if Nessie thought I _could_ control what my dream-self did.

She smiled. "Thank you." Standing on her tiptoes, she reached her face toward the dream-Jake; he was starting to bend down… Right. Jake's outta here.

For over three weeks, night after night, I had pulled myself awake; it was easy now, no longer taking more than the first instant of decision. But this time, I didn't have to wake Nessie; gently I removed her hand from my cheek and tucked it under her chin. I smiled tenderly and stroked the side of her cheek with one finger, brushing back a stray strand of hair. "Sleep well, baby," I whispered. "I'll stick around to protect you as long as I can. I promise."

I brushed a kiss across her forehead and then drifted back to sleep with my Nessie cradled in my arms. I knew I didn't have to watch her dreams; the nightmare was gone forever.

The End

 *** Illustration for this scene can be found on my DeviantArt account.**

 _I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!_

 _Please note that I have internet access only once a week, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. If you have questions regarding my Twilight alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie_


End file.
